Side rail for adjustable height beds



f r w 1957 L. w. THOMPSON ETAL 2,779,953

SIDE RAIL FOR ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT BEDS Filed March 29, 1954 Lee W. THOMPSON Jqmss L. 015m. INVENTORS BYQ drmeArs /d SIDE RAIL FOR ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT BEDS Lee W. Thompson and James L. Diehl, Long Beach, Calif; said Diehl assignor to said Thompson Application March 29, 1954, Serial No. 419,387

Claims. (Cl. 5-331) This invention relates to bed rails and is particularly concerned with readily applied and removable restraining side rails or panels used in nursing care to prevent patients from accidental injury.

While the invention is generally applicable to beds of widely various types and descriptions, and, while it has utility under numerous conditions, the invention as herein illustrated and described is principally designed as an auxiliary side member for hospital beds. Patients are much more easily handled in high beds since the attendant does not have to lean down to administer to the patient. However, if the patient is to be removed from the bed, it is easier to accomplish with a low bed. This is particularly true if the patient can assist himself enough so that one attendant can move him from the bed to a wheelchair or the like.

Consequently, the desirable height of hospital beds varies, depending upon the condition of the patient and the treatment to be given to him. Hospital beds of adjustable height are therefore often employed where both high and low beds are required.

Removable restraining rails adjustable to operative and inoperative position have heretofore been proposed. Such prior devices, however, have for the most part been complicated and difficult to apply and adjust, and are not usable with beds of different or adjustable heights.

It is among the primary objects of this invention to provide a novel, simple and improved side rail of the character hereinafter described which is economical of manufacture, rugged and durable in use, and of a design to meet the demands of simplicity in application, removal, and adjustment from operative to inoperative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed rail of such structure that it may be used equally effectively with hospital beds in either a high or a low position, and which may be easily pivoted by the use of one hand to either an upwardly extending operative or a lower retracted inoperative position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of the character described which when mounted on a low bed can be swung to a downwardly retracted position while operatively secured to the bed, and not inhibit or jeopardize the free movement of attendants about the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed rail that embodies a protective frame that is self-centering relative to the bed on which the device is mounted.

Other objects and advantageous features will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bed rail as applied to a relatively low hospital bed;

Figure 2 is a sectional vertical view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, showing the rail in operative position by full lines, and indicating the inoperative position by the dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 33 of Figure 1 showing the securing means, and indicating States Patent 2,779,953 Patented Feb. 5 1957 by dotted lines the operative steps in attaching and detaching the device, and;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Figure 1 showing details of the construction and assembly of the balance of the securing means.

In general terms the present embodiment of the invention may be defined as comprising a side rail or restraining frame having bed post securement members with which are associated bed rail engaging brackets. Preferably the securement members and brackets are mounted to permit rotation of the frame to either an operative or inoperative position. The height of the frame as mounted by the securement members and brackets is less than the distance from the floor to the axis of the frame when the frame is mounted on a low hospital bed. Thus in downward or inoperative position the frame will not engage the floor, but will instead hang in a vertical plane. Above the securement devices and preferably mounted in substantially horizontal alignment with the top rail of the frame is a readily releasable retaining means that removably engages a bed post by a single operation to hold the device in a patient-protecting position.

Referring now to the drawing, a conventional hospital bed is shown as having a head section 10 including vertical head posts 11 to which are secured bed rail brackets 12 which together with braces 113, secure the head end of side rails 14 of the bed. At the opposite end the bed rails 14 are supported by the foot section 15 having vertical foot posts 16, brackets 17 and braces 18. A spring assembly as indicated at 19 is supported upon the upper horizontal flange 0f the bed rails 14. It will, of course, be understood that these features of construction form no part of the present invention and that the invention is broadly applicable to many and various bed frame constructions.

The restraining bed rail of the present invention com.- prises a frame formed with top, intermediate and lower members 2%, 21 and 22 which are joined by foot, intermediate and head vertical standards 23,. 24 and 25 respectively. The members and standards are preferably of tubular construction to provide strength and rigidity with minimum weight, and may be formed of any desired materialb In that form of the invention illustrated, the foot standard 23 is curved at its upper end to merge into the downwardly curved top bar 20, thus avoiding a sharp protruding corner at the foot end of the rail frame.

The tubular ends 26 of lower bar 22 extend beyond the foot and head standards 23 and 25 and have secured therein as by set screws 27 tubular sleeves 23 which form bearings for slidable and rotatable shanks 36 of the rail securing means. inwardly of each of the bearing sleeves 28, a helical spring 31 is provided that encircles the shank 3% associated with that sleeve. The outer end of each spring 31 abuts the inner face of one associated sleeve 28. The opposite inner end of'each spring abuts a washer plate 32 encircling the end of the shank on which the spring is mounted and secured thereto by a snap ring or cotter pin indicated by 33. By this arrangement, it will be seen that the shanks 35) of the rail securing means are normally urged inwardly relative to the bar 22, but are yieldable to permit extension as required. it will also 'be noted that free rotation of the shanks is permitted at all times.

Loosely mounted on the shanks 3t outwardly of the bearing sleeves 28, and relatively rotatable as well as slidably movable thereon are supporting arms or spacing ICE brackets 34. The brackets have apertured head ends 34a I throughwhich the shanks 3d pass. The lower ends of and 38 will conform and snugly embrace the top horizontal rail surface and the outer vertical rail surface respectively. It will be noted that the continuous right angularly related surfaces 37 and 3% are each equally angular to the axis of the body of the bracket. The brackets when applied to the bed rail 14 notonly vertically space the bar 22 above the bed rail, but also locate the bar outwardly of said rail.

From a consideration of the drawing in which is illus 'trated a typical bed with the springs thereof in a relatively low position, it will be seen that if the lower bar 22 of the frame were supported at or about the plane of the bed rail 14-, the frame could not rotate to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, but would instead engage the floor at an angle. This is because the minimum height of the frame for adequate restraining purposes is greater than the height of the bed rail 14 from the floor for low type beds. However, it is essential that when the frame is inoperative, it be swung to a position which does not prevent persons from getting close to the bed. Since the minimum protective height of the side frame is substantially the same whether the bed be at a low or high position, it is essential with low position beds that the axis of rotation of the frame be spaced sufficiently above the bed rail to permit full unimpeded rotation of the frame from operative to the inoperative position. This is successfully accomplished by means of the brackets 34 as shown. An additional advantage flowing from this construction is that the upper and lower frame bars can be placed closer together, thus effecting a saving of material and allowing the frame to be lighter in weight, and most important of all, the same frame can be used for all types of beds.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be seen that the outer ends of the shanks 30 are formed with return bent hooks 40, preferably encased in conforming covers 4-1 which may be of rubber to prevent i jury to the bed posts when they are engaged by the hooks. The inner ends 42 of the covers terminate short of the fully retracted positions of the shanks 3% which are determined by stops &2 rigidly afiixed thereto as may be seen in Figure 3. The heads of the brackets 34 may be disposed between such stops and the bearing sleeves as shown in Figure 3. Since the shanks are rotatable and slidable against spring tension, the hooks 40 may be freely extended and turned to pass the posts 11 and 16. Thereafter, the hooks 40 may be rotated to horizontal position whereupon the springs 31 will retract them to resiliently engage the posts, and cooperate with the brackets to secure the member 22. in the desired location.

The head end of the upper bar 20 is preferably formed with an extension 56 similar to the extension 26 beyond head standard 25. A bushing sleeve 51 and an internal spring assembly (not shown) is also provided at the head end of upper bar 20. A curved hook 52 is mounted in the bushing sleeve 51 for extension and rotation in like manner. Thus it will be seen that the frame may be lifted to vertical position by rotation of lower bar 22 on shanks 3t), and the frame secured in an upwardly extending patient-protecting position by the hook 52 engaging post 11. As indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, the hook 52 may also engage the lower portion of post 11 for securing the frame in depending inoperative position.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the attachment, detachment and adjustment of the bed rail from an operative vertically erect position to an inoperative vertically dependent position is convenient, rapid and requires neither skill nor tools. The device is readily portable and may be easily lifted by a single person to position the lower bar 22 above the rail 14. The brackets 34 being freely rotatable on the shanks 36 may be readily turned inwardly whereby the surfaces 37 and 38 will embrace the external rail surfaces and space the bar outwardly and vertically to position the hooks 40 for engagement with the head and foot posts. The operator may then vertically dispose the hooks and move them beyond the posts, thereafter rotating them to horizontal positions. Upon the release of the hooks they will effectively lock the bar 22 in a properly located horizontal position adjacent rail 14. After such application the frame may be pivoted upwardly to a vertical position, and secured to post 11 by similar manipulation of the hook 52. The hook 52 by outward pressure may be disengaged from post '11 to permit the frame to be disposed in an inoperative position aligned with the side of the bed free from any obstructing projection.

By selection of springs of the proper tension, the spring loading on the two hooks at the head of the bed will be the same as the spring loading on the single hook at the foot of the bed. When springs of such tension are selected, it will be apparent that the frame will immediately center on the bed when the frame is in an upright patient-protecting position.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of design arrangement and construction herein disclosed and that in the production of the invention, changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departure from the spirit or scope thereof as outlined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for use on hospital beds of various heights having side rails, which includes: a substantially rectangular restraining frame embodying first and second vertically spaced members rigidly joined by a plurality of elongate rigid members normally disposed thereto; first and second hooks formed with elongate shanks slidably and rotatably disposed within the end portions of said first member; intermediately positioned stops mounted on said shanks; spring means disposed in said first tubular member that at all times tend to draw said hooks inwardly to position said stops adjacent the ends of said first member; two elongate rigid brackets pivotally supported on said shanks and longitudinally movable thereon when one of said stops is not disposed adjacent one of the ends of said first member, each of which brackets terminate on the free end thereof in angularly spaced arms so disposed that when said arms removably engage one of said bed side rails said bracket is positioned in an upwardly and outwardly extending position, said brackets being of such length that when said frame is permitted to depend downwardly, said frame is disposed outwardly out of contact with said bed, and said second tubular member is located above the surface on which said bed stands; and a third spring-loaded hook slidably mounted in one of the end portions of said second tubular member with said third hook capable of engaging a portion of said bed to hold said frame in a rigid substantially vertical position when said first and second hooks engage portions of said bed and said bracket arms engage said side rail.

2. Apparatus for use on hospital beds of various heights having side rails, which includes: a substantially rectangular restraining frame embodying first and second vertically spaced members joined by a plurality of elongate members normally disposed thereto; first and second hooks formed with elongate shanks mounted in opposite ends of said first member; helical springs that encircle the portions of said shanks within the confines of said first tubular member, said springs at all times tending to move said hooks inwardly; two elongate rigid brackets, each of which is pivotally supported on one of said shanks and longitudinally movable thereon, each of which brackets terminates on the free end thereof in angularly spaced arms to removably engage one of said bed side rails to position said bracket in an upwardly and outwardly extending position, said brackets being of such length that when said frame is rotated, said second tubular member is located above the surface on which said bed stands; and bed-engaging means mounted on said frame holding said frame in a fixed substantially vertical position when said first and second hooks engage portions of said bed and said bracket arms engage said side rail.

3. Apparatus for use on beds of various heights having side rails, which includes: a substantially rectangular restraining frame having a low: 1' horizontal member; hooks formed with elongate shanks; bearing means in opposite ends of said member that slidably and rotatably support said shanks; springs that encircle the portions of said shank within the confines of said member, said springs at all times being in compression and tending to move said hooks inwardly, each of which springs exerts a different force when deformed to the same extent; two elongate rigid brackets pivotally supported on said shanks and longitudinally movable thereon, said brackets terminating in angularly spaced arms to removably engage one ofsaid bed side rails, said brackets being of such length that when said frame is permitted to depend downwardly, said frame is located above the surface on which said bed stands; and a spring loaded hook slidably mounted in said frame capable of engaging a portion of said bed to hold said frame in a rigid, substantially vertical position when said first hooks engage portions of said bed and said bracket arms engage said side rail, the spring loading on said last hook being so related to the spring loading on said first hook means to provide an equal amount of spring loading at each end of said frame to allow automatic centering of said frame on any bed on which it is mounted.

4. A side rail assembly for beds of varying heights which includes: a frame adapted to substantially close one side of said bed when mounted thereon, said frame having a generally horizontal axis member provided with securing means at its ends to engage the ends of said bed and hold said frame against longitudinal movement; depending bracket members pivotally mounted on said axis member and adapted to engage a side rail of said bed, the

supported; and auxiliary hook means to secure said frame in its said upper vertical position.

5. A side rail assembly for beds of varying heights which includes: a frame adapted to substantially close one side of said bed when mounted thereon, said frame having a generally horizontal axis member provided with securing means at its ends to engage the ends of said bed and hold said frame against longitudinal movement;

a support member interposed between said axis member and said bed, the length of said support member being coordinated with the height of said frame to support said axis member a sufficient distance above said side rail so that said frame in upper vertical position will be of sufficient height to accomplish its function of closing the side of said bed, and when rotated about said axis member to a lower vertical position will hang free of the surface upon which said bed is supported; and means for releasably securing said frame in its said upper vertical position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 677,671 Lausen July 2, 1901 1,906,369 Christie May 2, 1933 2,136,088 Stevens Nov. 8, 1938 2,164,484 Wolfe July 4, 1939 

